[meteorite-list] Fwd: OT: Flu shot before Tucson?

[Adam Hupe]

I got to thinking (sometimes a dangerous thing) about what somebody said here on the list about the flu being spread by flatulence.  My neighbor swears that he caught the flu this way while he was momentarily trapped in a hotel elevator with a sick and morbidly obese woman for 30 to 45 seconds.  From what I was lead to believe, she damaged the air with a noxious biscuit and he showed symptoms a day or two later.  He is still very angry about it since he last a couple of weeks worth of income.  I read up on the subject and think he is accusing the wrong culprit.


This is what the CDC has to say:


Person to Person

People with flu can spread it to others up 
to about 6 feet away. Most experts think that flu viruses are spread 
mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. 
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby 
or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Less often, a person might also 
get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and 
then touching their own mouth or nose.

(To avoid this, people 
should stay away from sick people and stay home if sick. It also is 
important to wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. Linens, eating utensils, 
and dishes belonging to those who are sick should not be shared without 
washing thoroughly first. Eating utensils can be washed either in a 
dishwasher or by hand with water and soap and do not need to be cleaned 
separately. Further, frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned and 
disinfected at home, work and school, especially if someone is ill.)


Enough from me who is almost fully recovered and has more energy now than in the last three weeks,

Adam